Top staffers work on fiscal cliff deal after White House meeting

Details are emerging from a meeting Republican and Democratic leaders had last Friday with President Barack Obama at the White House regarding a deal to prevent a fiscal cliff, Government Executive reports.

Democratic staff said they're banking on a bill that has already passed the Senate. It holds tax rates steady for families with less than $250,000, but the wealthy would have to pay more. They said they would work toward entitlement reform next year. Republicans have not ruled this idea out, but their staffs would work in the coming week on binding proposals to reform the tax code and get savings from entitlement programs, staffers said.